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March 20, 2016 – Destination or Destiny: Which is the Goal?

by

Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, L.U.T.
Destination or Destiny: Which is the Goal?

Jesus wasn’t a saint. He was a man. He knew what was coming and said “yes”. Everything he said and did was to show us what we could do, that others who would come after him will be able to say yes to their purpose.

I have wondered for a long time why the story of Palm Sunday says that Jesus had instructed the disciples to bring the young donkey colt with its mother so he could ride it into Jerusalem. It’s my “-ism” that he did so because the mother ass would walk with her colt to share its burden, showing that our mother/god would make her presence known to carry our load at the times we can’t take authority to bear it ourselves. And it was a sign of humility, “your king will come humbly.”

Are we willing to say yes to what we don’t even know is coming? Are we willing to let God walk beside us, trusting, and accept our purpose, which was chosen before we came? Are we willing to do what it takes to move to the highest level of consciousness, the Christ consciousness? He accepted his divinity. He knew what it was and he used it. He knew what was coming—condemnation and death, to be hung on the cross between thieves—and he went toward it in peace. He knew he’d never be led to anything he couldn’t handle.

We are saved now from what keeps us, limits us, by our willingness to say we will go and see what lies ahead. The preparation has already been made. Something amazing is about to happen for us. Nothing can stop me or keep me from my goal, my purpose, because the way has already been prepared. We are royalty; without conceit we are to honor ourselves. We are not the scum of the Earth, not lowly worms in the dust, but sons of God. Each and every day walk out “in royalty”.

The story continues, “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” “Name” means “nature of”, so blessed is he who comes in the nature of the spiritual law of highest spiritual truth. When we align with universal laws, the highest spiritual revelations, we can’t fail. When things are put before us God says “prove me”. Put it to the test; exercise your spiritual muscle. “It works if you work it.” With life-threatening illness or loss, put God to the test. Go to see what the end will be. Say yes and go forward, trusting.

To be fulfilled means filled full. The Trinity of Fulfillment is 1) forgiveness—trust and forgive what and who seems to have prevented us from fulfilling our purpose. 2) compassion—have compassion for yourself and others who are struggling to find their way in their misperceptions and unknowingness and are in your way. 3) peace—it comes as we walk our pathway, and it “feels right”. Things hum. It is the peace which passes all understanding. “I feel, I am, peace.” For however long, whatever the pitfalls, Through forgiveness and compassion I find peace. Through forgiveness and compassion I find peace. Through forgiveness and compassion I find peace.

Have a wonderful journey!

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March 13, 2016 – The Force of Compassion

by

Rev. David McArthur
The Force Of Compassion

In Unity I found the beautiful universal truths of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. “The scriptures of all the nations of the world testify to the existence of an invisible FORCE moving men and nature in their various activities. Not all agree as to the character of this omnipresent FORCE, universal Spirit, but it serves the purpose of being their god under whatever name it may appear.” (Chas. Fillmore, “Atom-Smashing Power Of Mind”) Many of us call it “love”.

Stacy Smith, an American woman, found it difficult to comprehend Mother Theresa’s level of experience. Inspired, and to confront her own fears, she went to India. There she entered a concrete room filled with rows of cots with ill and dying women. Stacy noticed a woman struggling to breath and in great pain. She felt deep compassion. She had such a different experience from hers. She didn’t even know the woman’s language. All she could think to do was sing to her. She noticed the woman’s breathing was better. The woman opened her eyes and “looked with clarity into my eyes.” Two women, bound together in need, sharing their deep soul. “The moment slipped away. I continued to sing. In a short while the woman took her final breath.” That force of compassion can reach beyond.

In Hindu scripture, Krishna instructs Arjuna to be compassionate to friend and enemy alike, to “see yourself in others” to know this beautiful force. Jesus instructed, “love your enemies… Feed the hungry, clothe the naked…for whatever you do for one… of mine, you do for me.” In the scripture of Islam, it is expressed as “God is compassion.” And from the Jewish scripture, “Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless…for  ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’

Many years ago I was in a Palestinian refugee camp in a room with a mother and her four children. The window had a hole where the father had been shot. We were totally different. I was a “rich” white man; she was a poor woman in a culture dominated by white men, a single mother confined by that culture. I told her, “I lost a spouse and I’m sorry you have, too.” Her response as it was translated to me, was “You don’t understand. Was your spouse killed by a gun?” I said, “Yes.” I saw her face change. She looked me in the eye. This is a culture in which a woman does not look in the eyes of any man but her husband’s; she had changed to do this. I looked in her eyes and saw her soul. I saw tremendous pain, loneliness, fear for her children, and a yearning for a husband to care for her. She saw into my soul; she saw my journey. The force of compassion took down impossible barriers and we were just two people, soul-to-soul, understanding. In our culture there is a commitment to separation and the belief in our differences. It is my belief the force of compassion cuts it down.

This week hold your friends in the compassion of your heart when they feel separate. I hold you in the compassion of my heart. I hold you in the compassion of my heart. I hold you in the compassion of my heart. I promise every time you reach for it, the FORCE will be with you!

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March 6, 2016 – Be Here Now

by

Freddie Weber
Be Here Now

I wanted to be still so God can love me, to be still and relax and let God take over. But I can’t sit still! It’s hard to honor the still small voice in my mind! 60,000 thoughts or more a day on a loop: Where do I have to go today? What do I have to wear today? What about my hair today? Me, me, me, me, me! –and what’s for dinner?

Be here now? What is “be”? What is “here”? –with so many thoughts! What is “past”? What is “future”? –and what’s for dinner? What is God? Who am I? Who are you? So many voices, so many choices in my brain!

God loves us whether we’re still or not. I give it all to you God. I surrender. I will notice silence. No more thought. No more fear. For just a moment I was here. I understand now how to pray, nothing in my head, no thought today. I knew nothing of the silence or still small voice inside. Nothing will make you happy until you know that still small voice. I had no distance from my thoughts. I WAS my thoughts and lived my life according to my head.

So I learned to meditate. I meditated to get a Broadway show! But God didn’t care why. And something lifted. My day felt better. I got to watch stuff going on in my mind. I looked at the icky “I’m no good” stuff, at so many negative depressing things. After a while it became funny. I saw that I thought things like “people who wear glasses are smart, so I should stay away or they’d find out I was stupid.” I wanted to be enlightened, so I didn’t want any thoughts at all.

I studied with Eckhart Tolle. He loved the human of us. He said, “You’re going to have thoughts. Allow them. You don’t have to believe them or buy it. Allow.” So I began to notice without judging. Eckhart Tolle had said to just be aware. Don’t judge. Just allow—it is just a thought!

One day I was surprised to notice I did love! I cared! Something had opened up, like my heart. I felt such real compassion. I hadn’t even known it was possible. It was no longer about me, me. It was about the world! When you’re doing “your work” what comes up is the real you! When I asked God what was “my work” I heard “I don’t know.” It’s really a moment to moment thing. A smile, what you wear. Look into their eyes for just two seconds without judgment. Eckhart Tolle said God can come through and bless them. They don’t know and you don’t know what you did. God comes through. A real smile. Something so small done with your heart—that’s why you’re here today! My mom used to say, “Don’t just sit there, do something.” Now I say, “Don’t just do something, sit there!”

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February 28, 2016 – Giving Leads to Guidance

by

Rev. David McArthur
Giving Leads to Guidance

Last week we talked about finding guidance in meditation, prayer and deep heart connection. A step which is seldom used to teach guidance is giving. It creates guidance and guidance creates giving.

The nature of this animating presence within, which calls us to wholeness, is flow. It brings into manifestation the things we need. Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you… with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” It’s not often I feel like correcting him, but I think the measure to you is always greater than you give. Giving causes blessings with the material, with time, with your talent, and in illumination as well. Giving puts us in that flow.

One night at three a.m., Kev got guidance to go to the beach and play his guitar. It was misty and cold and he saw only two others. He began to play. One, holding a broom, came up to Kev and said, “That is so beautiful!” She pulled a few coins from her pocket and asked him to play for Annie, indicating the other woman who was bundled up tightly and sitting against the beach wall. “Annie doesn’t talk. She’s been going through a hard time.” Kev agreed to play, but only if he could do it for free.

As he played he felt deep compassion for Annie, bundled so heavily with her hat down over her face, even wearing sunglasses. She took off the glasses and Kev saw tears on her face, and she spoke. “How did you do that? I felt the music in my heart!” She pulled a few coins out from somewhere, but Kev said, “I can’t take that.” A few morning people had gathered, and one told Kev, “I want to give you some money. It would mean a lot to me if you gave it to her.” Feeling completion Kev readied to leave, saying, “whenever I play, good things happen to people.” Annie said to him, “I do believe good things happen when you play.” Broom lady said, amazed, “She has never spoken before!”

Guidance at 3 a.m. was taken. Kev didn’t know why or what, but even the homeless broom lady wanted to give. And Annie wanted to give, to participate in the experience, and a man wanted to give and they gave to Annie. It changed that place so dark where you can’t speak to one where there is hope.

When you give there is blessing. There is flow. You have done this and you have seen others blessed around you. Giving brings forth our caring, our guidance. It is the flow of divine love through our lives. God blesses through you, through your giving of your talents, your caring.

God blesses through me. God blesses through me. God blesses through me. Open that door of guidance, of flow. You are one with The One, with that infinite flow of wisdom. It is our opening to that which brings joy, guidance, and peace. I know you know that it flows through each one of us. Because you know, I thank you!

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February 21, 2016 – Love Guides My Way

by

Rev. David McArthur
Love Guides My Way

Guidance is there with each of us at every moment. With it we can ease through life. We are not meant to suffer or struggle our way through anything.

When I was learning the new world of my legal career I was in a relationship which was really important to me. I was fairly intelligent and analyzed it in my head. I could list all the reasons to spend our lives together, and all the doubts. I really didn’t have a clue. Was this woman to be the life-time mother for my little girl? Or were we simply in a wonderful relationship for the time and then with love and respect we’d go our separate ways?

I was learning as well the world of my spirituality. So I went to my heart to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things will be given you.” We created an affirmation together. If we were right for each other and are to be together, that it would become clear to both of us; or if not, then that would become clear.

Then about a year and a half later I was at my parent’s looking out at the beautiful mountains beyond Jackson Hole, and suddenly I knew. I knew it would be right. I wasn’t “thinking”, I was “knowing”, and with that knowing the questions disappeared. So I proposed and June is our 40th anniversary!

I found guidance works better if I check in regularly. The guidance is always there—such love, such care! Whenever I feel uncomfortable it is one way I know I need to get into the connection with my heart. This is checking in, looking forward, “what are my next steps?”

There is a difference when change happens in the moment. Lani, who leads our youth program here, has a deep connection with her spiritual self. At her job at Whole Foods she was called into the office. She had lost her job. Her immediate reaction was to put her hand on her heart and focus on the love there. She told me she knew she was cared for. She told her supervisors that she understood how this was hard for them, that they had to do what they had to do. She chose not to be a victim! And she told me her guidance when she got the job had been clear that she would work there for 2 years, and it had been two years and two weeks! It was time she move on.

There is an intelligence, a path to your soul that will reveal itself to you. It is love. Love will guide your way. When you get to the knowing the yes/no argument fades. The soul has said “Yes. What I have for you is already prepared and is waiting to be given.” Affirm, Love guides my way! Love guides my way! Love guides my way! It’s a beautiful, beautiful experience. Whatever you need to know is already given. Ask! Go to the beautiful wisdom of the spiritual being that you are. The response is love. That’s what guides your life!

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February 14, 2016 – A Valentine From Your Spirit

by

Rev. David McArthur
A Valentine From Your Spirit

Happy Valentine’s Day! A whole day to do exactly what we’re supposed to do everyday! Today the best Valentine you’ll get is from your spiritual self.

Any spiritual process starts with self awareness. So get comfortable and start with being aware of your body, your mind. Nothing is right or wrong here, just be aware. We’re inviting our spiritual self to show up. Now be aware of your feeling self. On a scale of -5 (bad) to +5 (feeling great), just see where you are now—it’s not good or bad. Just be aware.

Now remember a time you felt deep love for someone. Just focus on that. Experience the feeling of that love. Let it grow in you. Let it fill you. Keep that feeling as you check in with yourself on the -5 to +5 scale. What number do you have now? Did it go up? There’s a reason relative to the core understanding, “God is love”. What we did was enter into our connection to the divine presence that we have. When Spirit flows in it lifts us. It lifts our sense of wholeness. We feel better because we are connected to that infinite love. That’s your valentine!

Are you ready for a super valentine? Remember a situation this week when you felt uncomfortable. We feel less connected, separate from divine love then. Do self awareness again, -5 to +5. What is the feeling there?

We’re always connected to Spirit but we connect more deeply and powerfully when we become aware. Put your hand on your heart. Now go again to your feeling of love from a moment ago. Remember that feeling. Enjoy that feeling. That feeling is right here right now. Feel your love; it’s a beautiful thing. Enjoy it, that connection with that part of you where the divine nature is a part of your being.

Now sincerely ask, “What would you have me do in that situation?” That presence—the spiritual power, the light, the intelligence—flows through you and directs your response and your thoughts. Go again into the experience of self awareness. Ask, “What am I feeling around that situation (-5 to +5) now?”

It’s not that “God loves” like grandpa loving the kids; it’s that God IS love. Charles Fillmore said it’s the “unifying, harmonizing power”. This amazing spiritual self we have is wise! Just practice it. God is love. God is love. God is love.

When we’re uncomfortable, once that love is there, God is there. That amazing intelligence! Have an amazing, beautiful, love-filled Valentine’s Day!

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February 7, 2016 – Brer Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

by

Rev. David McArthur
Bre’r Rabbit Finds Wisdom & Compassion

It’s time to turn to the sage Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit got the mopes—being all down and feeling it’s hopeless, losin’ his smarts. His Ms. say he got to go down to Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money the Witch Rabbit in the deep dark swamp. There, Witch Rabbit say for Bre’r Rabbit to catch her a squirrel. Sitting at the bottom of a big tree, he has a couple of rocks in a sack and he smacks them together. A squirrel asks what he’s doing. Bre’r Rabbit says he’s cracking hick’ry nuts in the sack. “Hick’ry nuts!” says Squirrel. “Can I crack some?” he asks. Bre’r Rabbit says “Sure!” and lets Squirrel into the sack. Real quick he closes the sack and takes the squirrel to Mammy Bammy Big Money.

This is the first step we’re told to take on our spiritual journey, to take control of our squirrelly mind. (In the Eastern studies it’s “monkey mind”.) Bre’r Rabbit can take this step because he journeyed to the heart wisdom (Aunt Mammy). Get into the heart; use the power of the heart to control the mind so that which is within you, the flow of your being, becomes conscious in your mind. It’s how you control the mind so intent and wisdom flow out. This is how you transform your life.

The 2nd thing Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money asked of Bre’r Rabbit was to fetch that snake rattlin’ in the grass. He was so skeert he wanted to run away, but he talked Snake into uncoiling so he could be measured. Rabbit pulled a string from his pocket, but instead of measuring Snake he looped the string around Snake’s neck quick like and pulled it tight and dropped Snake into the sack for Aunt Mammy.

This is facing your fears. The wisdom within is greater than your fear. It removes the power of your fear and releases you. Your heart is that wise. Affirm, My heart is wise. It connects you straight to the spiritual power that you are. My heart is wise all the time. My heart is wise all the time. All the time my heart is wise.

The Witch Rabbit’s 3rd instruction is for Bre’r Rabbit to bring her an elephant tusk. He went far into the forest to find an elephant. As one came near he hollered “Howdy! Bre’r Lion say you too big to be very strong.” Angered, Bre’r Elephant ran at a really big tree again and again to knock it over. One of his tusks fell out. Bre’r Rabbit quickly grabbed it up and ran to Mammy Bammy. Bre’r Rabbit asked what he had to do to get his smarts back, now. “I don’ wan’ you do nuthin’ at all. If you was any smarter you’d be ruination of da world!” And Bre’r Rabbit didn’t feel the mopes anymore. You see, Elephant was the big impossible thing in our lives we can’t do anything about. Not so for the wisdom in our hearts.

There was plenty of compassion here. Ms. Rabbit and the Witch Rabbit both are women (our feeling nature). Now it’s time to take it to the next step, and your wisdom knows your next step. That’s compassion! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! My heart is wise! It will take you on your journey to your own Aunt Mammy Bammy Big Money!

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January 31, 2016 – Creating Sacred Relationships

by
Unity of Walnut Creek, January 31, 2016

Brenda Wade, P.H.D.
Creating Sacred Relationships

So many of us have a story of how we came to Unity. When I was working my way through the University of Washington, I found that modeling paid better than waiting tables. So I learned to look good even when I was feeling bad. I was working really hard on my studies. I wanted to be in my head. I wasn’t in my feelings, and you know what they say: “If you’re in your head and not in your feelings you are depressed.” I was. I was dissociated. One day I thought I was having a heart attack, but the doctor said it was a panic attack! I had made a habit of inauthentic behavior, of hiding my feelings.

Make a choice of unlocking your feelings, your heart. Right now tap your hearts. There is a very small gland on your heart which releases a hormone when you tap over your heart. In Unity we are all about opening the heart.

About that time a friend tried to tell me about Unity, but somebody’s church was the last thing I wanted hear about. However, for some reason I wandered in one day on a noontime meditation. The minister zeroed in on me and my built up resentments, and told me to unlock what really causes the pain. I opened up. I even told her about my boss. I didn’t like him and he didn’t like me. She said to bless him. Blessing a situation or someone is more powerful than resentment and complaining. So I started blessing my boss, the air he breathes, his clothes, just everything about him. In two weeks I felt better. Soon he even changed his attitude toward me.

In six weeks I was offered my dream job. I hadn’t even applied for it! It was my first national TV show. Similar things happened. Why? Unity gave me the belief I wasn’t alone, that there is something within us that wouldn’t damn me but love me. I had learned to open my heart and connect with other hearts.

We want people to come close, but no, not that close. It’s push-pull. Most often we keep ourselves safe with the blame game. “It’s your fault.” We carry hurt, guilt and shame that we got before the age of 8. Before then, a child believes whatever is wrong in their relationships is their fault. So right now I want you to tap your heart, and say to your 8 year old self, “You are 100% lovable!” Repeat. Take it in deeply. Repeat. That hurt, that wound that brought you to Unity was necessary to get you here. So for that say, “I am 100% grateful for this pain!”

I am 100 % lovable. You are 100% lovable. We are 100% lovable. There are many instances where we can do this. ISIS, you are 100% lovable! The NFL, you are 100% lovable! The Post Office, you are 100% lovable! We are one—it’s the magic of Unity. Bring this spirit of oneness and love to everything.

God bless you. I love you. Every one of us is a light. When we join these lights together there is power that can heal anything!

https://www.facebook.com/Dr.BrendaWade/

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January 24, 2016 – I Am Compassion

by

Ron Salazar, L.U.T.
I Am Compassion

Two weeks ago Rev. Sheila taught us to live each day with a compassionate heart; not to climb into a friend’s pit of depression. Instead, hold the ladder to help them climb out. Last week Rev. David asked us to affirm for others and ourselves, “I hold you in the compassion of my heart.” I have the third week of speaking on compassion, and I ask you to say with me, “I am compassion.”

Charles Fillmore said compassion is “A characteristic of love and mercy prompted by an understanding heart. A compassionate mind sees the error, but does not condemn.” So when we are compassionate we are using the power of love. It is one of the 12 powers which are the expression of the divine spirit. Unity says compassion is the attracting, harmonizing power. When you feel love for anyone, even if they can’t give it back, there is still a peace within you.

There is someone in my life whose lifestyle had reached a point where I knew she had to change. Out of love I went to her to tell her she needed to change. I knew I was right, but she was really resistant. I saw I had to let go of my judgment of her, even though it was made out of love. I had to let go of being right. So I went to her in compassion, and she was then open to change. Now things are working out really well. Compassion is how we stay out of the pit and hold the ladder with love and spiritual wisdom.

You’ve heard that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Stay in the power of love and SPIRITUAL judgment. When Jesus told those wishing to stone the adulteress that he without sin cast the first stone they melted away. Then he told the adulteress, “Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more” (John 8:11). His compassion saved her.

Love is the harmonizing and constructive power. During World War I, on Christmas night, in 1914, the German soldiers left their fox holes and began singing Silent Night. Allied soldiers joined them in the celebration. Gifts were exchanged. The war resumed the next day, but for one night their compassion brought peace.

Your responsibility is to express your own individual experience of the divine spirit within you. Be yourself. Express your own experience of God and it helps others to do the same. That’s how WE ARE COMPASSION. Myrtle Fillmore: “As you do this, you will touch the reality of individuals, and you will invite only the best from them.”

It isn’t that we each have good in us, it is that all of us ARE good. If divine spirit is love, is compassion, and we are expressing the divine then: I am compassion. I am compassion. I am compassion. Thank you! Have a beautiful Sunday!

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January 17, 2016 – Exploring Compassion

by

Rev. David McArthur
Exploring Compassion

We are on an amazing journey: learning the power of compassion. A group of Muslim communities raised $100,000 for the sufferers of that gunman in the church in Charleston, and the fires at black churches that followed. After the shootings in San Bernardino, Muslim communities raised $180,000 for those suffering there. The spokesman for the Muslims said, “Just simply say we love them from the bottom of our hearts  and they should know that they are not alone in this calamity. We share their sorrow.”

The Koran most often speaks of “God the compassionate”, more properly translated as “God is compassion.” This beautiful religion shares this with us. Charles Fillmore said compassion was the unifying, harmonizing power. There are billions of people all over the world striving for love and compassion.

Perhaps Jesus’ greatest lesson on compassion was his story of the Good Samaritan. A priest and a Levite passed by the man who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. It was a Samaritan who took pity, tended to his wounds and at his own expense put the man up at an inn. Jesus then asked which was the good neighbor to the man who was robbed. The lawyer who had challenged him replied it was the one which had mercy on him. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”

Study Martin Luther King to understand that compassion is transformational. From Gandhi, he learned that power is of two kinds: power can be based on fear of punishment or on love. Power based on love is a thousand times more powerful and effective. How long it has taken for mankind to awaken and learn how to use this power! Dr. King taught that non-violence means not only to refrain from external violence, but also from internal violence of the spirit. “You not only refuse to shoot a man; you refuse to hate him.”

Dr. King stood with people who desired change, resisting with non-violence those with guns and authority; with non-action showing they wished their oppressors no harm. It touched us all, this amazing power over violence and hate. Imagine that you are standing there beside him among those with completely justifiable anger. Now hear the words of Lao Tzu: “The gentlest thing in the world (love) overcomes the hardest thing in the world (hatred, anger, guns and bullets)… That which has no substance (love) enters where there is no space (the closed, hardened heart).”  This is the masters’ way, the way of Martin Luther King, Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddhist teachers.

Respond with compassion this week, when you come upon someone angry or feeling victimized, or the oppressor acting on his pain, This morning we prayed for those in ISIS who are acting out of their pain and fear. They are also children of God. I hold you in the compassion of my heart. For those around us at home or at work, I hold you in the compassion of my heart. And when you find you are the oppressor, or do “OMG! I am a victim!”, I hold me in the compassion of my heart.

What a beautiful way to hold the people of the world! Most importantly, what a beautiful way to hold yourself!

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